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DFO finds poachers on the Fraser River

This year’s fishing ban on the Fraser River has led to heightened patrols. This weekend, fishery officers pulled up 10 more illegal nets and one person is being investigated for Fisheries Act violations. Since the ban was ordered earlier this month, 9 vessels and 60 nets have been seized and 28 people are under investigation.

This year’s low sockeye run is expected to see a return of two million fish, nearly half of the 3.7 million originally predicted. The low numbers led the DFO to order a ban on sockeye fishing for everyone on the Fraser, including First Nations. Extensive patrols, planned for during daytime and overnight, will put pressure on the DFO’s already strained budget, which was cut last year and will be further reduced by $33 million in 2015.